Top 100 - Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton # 12

Story by Gina

Dom and I went to Broome in 2010 for the most amazing holiday ever. Whilst there we decided to hire a 4wheeldrive and go camping in the Kimberley at a place called Windjana Gorge. We left the town of Broome a little later than expected and were caught with the predicament of driving on the Gibb River Road in the dark. The Gibb River Road is mostly a one lane dirt road with lots of wild life and stray cows waiting to jump out at you.

After a few hours of driving it was sunset as we made our way along the Great Northern Highway just before the Gibb River Road. After being worried and stressed about arriving in the dark and hitting stray cows for majority of the trip we finally let go of it and held hands as we sped along with all the windows down and screamed the Best of Dolly Parton at the top of our lungs. It was then we both realised that it was the most beautiful drive we had ever been on, the sun was setting behind us on a long stretch of straight road and the colours that filled the sky were breathtaking and we were there together.

I particularly remember singing Coat of Many Colours firstly because it is my favourite on the album, secondly because the sky was so many beautiful colours and finally because as I was screaming down this highway I started thinking of my other friends, Lucy and Karin. It took me back to sitting in Karin’s lounge room one winter evening where I made Lucy and Karin listen to the very song because I liked it so much. I made them sit through the whole song even when I knew they didn’t even really wanted to hear it.

Artwork by Karin